Master Han sent along some pictures and a short introduction to his unique farmers’ cooperative in a national forest preserve. To mark the occasion of offering up our first tea from Master Han, the Wild Picked Yunnan Black, we have translated his words into English to let him speak to you directly:

An Introduction to Zhenyuan Dongsa Farmers’ Cooperative

Qianjiazhai, my plot of wild tea forest can’t really be found on a road. The best I can give you are coordinates. You can find me at 24 north and 101 east. The altitude is 2100-2500 meters depending on where you stand. The full area of all of our plots, making up the cooperative is 4,700 acres of mountain land nestled within Mount Ailao national forest preserve, protected from development and outside influence. In addition to the wild tea trees, we have planted some Huangshan varietal trees and local varietals with their own distinct characteristics. Our oldest tree is about 1800 years old.

Sadly, in the nineties, some farmers cut down some of the old trees to plant tobacco. We talked them out of moving forward with planting the tobacco, but thought the damage would be permanent to their section of the forest. Miraculously, the root systems in the ancient trees runs so deep, that they came right back as the next year like nothing had happened.

I like to call my black tea Qianjiazhai Forest Daughters Black (maybe for my own daughter, or maybe because the tea is a daughter of the forest itself). I use the most traditional methods of oxidization, and dry the tea in the Yunnan sunlight. My black tea has a graceful aroma and flavor, and has a brilliant translucence. In Qianjiazhai, we believe that this black tea is good for blood pressure, keeps the skin healthy, and the mind sharp in old age.

Master Han sent a few pictures to share showing off his house and nearby trees.

Master Han standing by one of his younger trees

Master Han’s house and attached work-room

Master Han climbing a tea tree